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We just saw Ali Noor taking the stage alongside the likes of Bilal Khan, Shiraz Uppal, Uzair Jaswal and Goher Mumtaz at the Levi’s Live sessions that took place in Lahore the week before last. In fact, we tend to see a lot of the Noori brothers at various events but don’t get us wrong, we’re hardly complaining! Noori is one of the few bands who were at their peak when the music industry was at an all-time high and they continue to maintain their hold on people till today.

With hits like ‘Manwa Re’ and countless Coke Studio renditions of folk songs, Noori’s concerts are always a treat to the ears, and the eyes, and their latest performance at the launch of a new smartphone, Redmi 4X by Xiaomi was no different. Sporting his new cropped hair, Ali Noor rocked out the stage along with his brother, Ali Hamza and made it a memorable evening.

The evening, hosted by Taimoor Salahuddin, popularly known as Mooroo, saw many other celebrities. The Nescafe Basement Band took the stage to perform while Mira Sethi was also seen in the audience.

One of the more popular music groups in the country, Noori is always up to something. While the band recently played at the launch of Samsung S8 at the iconic Lahore Fort, it was their performance at the British Council Library in Karachi that had us swooning. Playing at ‘Karachi by Night’ celebration, the band led by brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza played a combination of songs including all-time hits ‘Hum Bholay’, ‘Dobara Phir Se’, ‘Suno Key Main Houn Jawan’ and ‘Ooncha Hoon Mein’.

Joined onstage by the likes of Fahad Khan and counting one Jamal Rahman on their technical team, it was a solid performance that had fans, both old and new, singing along throughout the course of the night.

Since releasing their third studio album – Begum Gul Bakaoli Sarfarosh – in 2015, music group Noori has been flying high.

Since releasing their third studio album – Begum Gul Bakaoli Sarfarosh – in 2015, music group Noori has been flying high. From picking up the prestigious Album of the Year trophy at the Lux Style Awards last year to appearing on Coke Studio as producers to collaborating with the likes of Ali Azmat in the inaugural edition of Cornetto Pop Rock and lending support to events such as Ponds Miracle Journey, they’ve been on a roll. Last year also witnessed the solo outing of Ali Hamza with his introspective Sanwal project which culminated in a much-revered tour of Karachi that was produced by the good folks at Salt Arts. And 2017 is looking just as exciting for Noori fans, if not more.

Having won hearts and minds by lending support to Karachi Down Syndrome Program’s inclusion campaign via the song ‘Aao Humaray Saath Chalo’ that is sung by Hamza and was released last month, the band was seen in Karachi this past week during which they played a colorful gig. Playing at IBA University in Karachi, Noori sang a medley of some of their most revered songs including ‘Paar Channa De’, ‘Hey Ya’, ‘Saari Raat Jaga’, ‘O Re’, ‘Nishaan’, ‘Aik Tha Badshah’ and ‘Manwa Re’.

Backed by drummer Kami Paul and other musicians, Noori brothers were in their element as Hamza and Noori gave Karachi fans a chance to forget everything else and enjoy the merriment onstage. Given their electrifying performances, we can’t wait to see what Noori comes up with next.

Noori Spices Up Lahore With Live Music

Come hail or high water, Karachi Eat 2017 has been rescheduled to take place next weekend and the fabulous lineup of six music acts will unleash upon gluttonous foodies, keeping music alive in the city by the sea. Lahore will be treated to Lahore Eat next month and until then, the cultural city will have some music to feed its souls.

A case in point: Noori brothers. Though they recently emerged at the Miss Veet finale, it’s their live music reputation that has made them so formidable. This past weekend, they took the stage at a show at Lums University in Lahore and as usual captivated all those who were present. Singing hits like ‘Paar Chanaa De’ and ‘Saari Raat Jaga’ during their set, Noori rocked it out brilliantly.

And this live music buzz is not over just yet. After Salt Arts joined hands with artists like Ali Hamza’s solo outfit, Sanwal plus Jimmy Khan and many others in 2016, it looks like their innovatively-designed shows will continue into 2017.

While Natasha Humera Ejaz takes the stage with her band as part of the Salt Arts Soiree 8, Salt Soiree 9 has been announced as well. Featuring the Ahsan Bari South Asia Ensemble, it is scheduled to take place on January 25 at Cotie Roti in Karachi and will see Bari play alongside Omran Shafique, Saif Abbas Rizwan, Shams Ul Arifeen and Rahat Ali.

LAHORE-Bands and artistes don’t win followers unless they engage with audience. Playing live music is the ultimate dream for a true artiste. It’s absolutely necessary to feature new artistes with good talent, who are ready to take the leap of faith in their skills. The Levi’s Live Music third session took place at Riot Studios captivating audiences with the live renditions.

The third live session featured Noorzadeh Raja and Rakae Jamil as the opening act and Noori as headliner at Levi’s Live. This is a platform to play live music for talented young upcoming musicians to reach their creative heights in the Pakistani music industry. The audience could be seen tapping their feet and young crowd enjoying the live music sessions.

The opening night was attended by musicians, music enthusiasts, students from various institutions and an eclectic mix of personalities who enjoyed the live session. The sound, stage setup, lights and the atmosphere mesmerized the audience who were seen singing to the tunes of the music. The studio space has been specially redesigned for the Levi’s live featuring denim walls of the iconic blue shade of the brand.

Farhad Humayun of Riot Studios said, “The third session showed me that people are letting go of their inhibitions. The audience is much freer and not only is the music enthusiasts coming to Levi’s Live but also those who are interested in making a change through art and design and dialogue. Noori killed it with their set and I’m so happy to see artistes like Shiraz Uppal who was in the audience but then sang to embrace a loving audience. Younger artistes are also getting a chance to showcase their work and I think we are on to something really unique here. The musicians who performed in the previous Levi’s live session have been appreciated far and wide and the crowd loves it.